A Navy veteran has announced plans to seek the Republican nomination for one of the most deeply split congressional districts in the country.
Ben Loyola announced Monday that he’s seeking the GOP nomination in a Hampton Roads-area district — 2nd Congressional District — currently held by Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria.
The 2nd district includes Accomack and Northampton counties, portions of York County, and the cities of Virginia Beach and Williamsburg and parts of the cities of Norfolk and Hampton.
Loyola said in a statement he isn’t going to “sit around while Democrats try to destroy America” by emulating socialist countries.
Two other Republicans, Jarome Bell and Andy Baan, have previously filed paperwork to run for the nomination.
Like Luria, Loyola is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a former naval officer.
He has previously run unsuccessfully for a GOP congressional nomination and a state Senate seat.